the renaissance man

Archive for July, 2008

No, I have not signed up again for that damned Vonage plan. However, after 49 comments in the last two years (pretty much unheard of for my little blog) with the last one coming as recently as today, it seems like many of you still have issues canceling Vonage.

A quick Google search for “cancel vonage” shows that my blog post is one of hundreds, if not thousands, of blog posts, forum posts, email list posts, and all other forms of web communication which detail the drudgery that is attempting to cancel Vonage.

Why would a company go to so much trouble to try to keep customers who clearly do not want their service? Is their cash flow so bad, that they simply must have the revenue? I was amazed about a year and a half ago when I read the news that Vonage couldn’t sign up new customers. Even more amazing was the fact that not a day goes by that their damned commercial is on my TV or a week goes by that I don’t get some form of direct mail piece advertising their product. Apparently, somehow the news never made it to Vonage’s offices. Not one aspect of their business model or customer service strategy seems to have changed since it became clear that they were fleecing customers.

The money must be great, because they still are around and seemingly thriving. With the ubiquitous nature of the cell phone and with cell plans getting cheaper every day, what does Vonage offer that’s not available via a service like GrandCentral? How can we more effectively spread that word that Vonage is a Faustian bargain?